As of today, our region has moved back into the Covid-19 Response Framework and are officially back in the Green Zone. Businesses must continue to comply with the Framework regulations.
The Stay at Home order is over for 3 provincial regions but things are not back to normal and everyone is being advised to stay home as much as possible . READ Provincial Press Release.
HASTINGS PRINCE EDWARD PUBLIC HEALTH
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health have added some additional measures on top of the provincial legislation that applies to both businesses and residents, and includes social gatherings and travelling between regions.
As announced by the province on February 8, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) will be moving back to Green-Prevent level of the provincial reopening Framework on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.
The ongoing perseverance and efforts of local residents and businesses have been critical to lower rates of COVID-19 in the region. However, COVID-19 rates remain high in other regions of Ontario and emerging variants pose an ongoing risk.
In order to provide enhanced protection to the local community as the region returns to the Green-Prevent Zone, Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH, is implementing additional precautions to supplement provincial Green Zone restrictions:
- Bookings for accommodation, personal service settings, and dine-in food services shall be accepted only for individuals residing in regions where Stay at Home Order has been lifted (exceptions will include booking accommodation for individuals who are travelling to our region for essential reasons as defined by the Ontario’s Stay at Home Order).
- Dine-in services shall be limited to 6 people per table.
- Contact information shall be required for all patrons attending local food service establishments and personal service settings.
- Retail businesses shall be required to maintain/post a safety plan. Employees and patrons shall wear appropriate face coverings or PPE.
- Retail businesses shall not play music at a volume any louder than a normal conversation.
- Patrons shall not be permitted to line up inside a retail setting, or to line up/congregate outside a retail setting unless they are wearing a face covering and able to maintain 2 metres of distance.
SEE FULL DETAILS
WORKPLACE SAFETY PLAN
As an employer it’s your responsibility under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect a worker. This guide will help you use current public health and workplace health and safety information to develop a plan and put controls into place to help make the workplace safer for everyone.
Some businesses, including all those operating during a lockdown or shutdown, must have a written safety plan by law. Check website regularly for updates. If you are required to have a safety plan you must make it available to anyone who asks to see it, and post it in a place where it will be seen easily.
All employers are encouraged to develop a COVID-19 workplace safety plan and to review and update it regularly. You can use the COVID-19 workplace safety plan template to help create your plan.
Employers are not required to send their plan to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and the ministry will not provide comments on safety plans sent in. During an inspection of your workplace, an inspector or compliance officer could ask whether you have developed a safety plan and may ask to see it.
DETAILS AND TEMPLATE
CHAMBER DISCUSSION WITH CRA ON FEDERAL FUNDING
If you are accessing any of the Federal Programs, or thinking about accessing them then you should join us to ensure you are clear on all reporting obligations, how to maximize the funding and get your questions answered by the experts.
Name: COVID-19 Measures with the CRA
Date: February 11, 2021
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST
Event Description:
Join us for a webinar with Liaison Officers from the Canada Revenue Agency where they will discuss some of the COVID-19 tax measures including:
- Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS),
- Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS),
- Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA),
- T4 reporting requirement and form PD27 for the 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy.
- Demonstration of the online calculators.
EMPLOYER ONE SURVEY
Attention Local Businesses: Have you given us your feedback?
It takes only 10 minutes!
January 4 to February 26:
The Centre for Workforce Development is conducting its annual EmployerOne Survey
- All businesses and organizations, large and small, can do the survey if they are located in Hastings, Prince Edward and Lennox & Addington
- Send in your survey and you can win one of eight $100 local shopping gift certificates, awarded weekly
- A $250 “Shop Local” grand prize will be drawn from all completed survey responses sent in by Feb. 26
How will the survey results improve my business and our community?
- Survey results will provide the necessary information to:
- Provide skills training programs needed for local employment
- Strengthen the local economy and help retain skilled workers in the area
“The survey results provide real, relevant data to local community planners: their solutions can help our businesses flourish. Also, doing the survey gives me the opportunity to plan ahead in my own business,” says Dale Hoard, owner of MicroAge Technology Solutions in Belleville.
Make your business voice heard and provide valuable feedback for workforce planning and skills development in our local communities.
For assistance, contact Matt Caruana, Project Coordinator for the Centre for Workforce Development at 613-969-0720 or.
That is all the updates for now, let me know if you need any further information at this time.
Yours truly,
Suzanne Andrews, CEO
Quinte West Chamber of Commerce